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Treasure 71: Crathie Churches and Royal Bazaar at Balmoral, September 1894
273 Every year Her Majesty the Queen and members of the royal family visit Balmoral Castle and during their stay they may attend services in Crathie Church. This treasure from our Local Studies collection highlights the close connection which has existed for well over a century between the Royal Family and the local church and people in Crathie.
Bazaar books were created to help raise church funds and this particular book is unusual as it was written and published after - rather than before - the bazaar took place. In this sense it might be regarded as a more accurate historical document. It was written by William W Philip, Assistant Forester at Balmoral, and the accounts given are based on his personal observations of the bazaar.
The royal family were closely involved in the organisation and running of the bazaar and it was opened by HRH Princess Louise on the first day and on the second day by her husband, the Marquis of Lorne.
The event was a lavish affair and took place close to Balmoral Castle in the aptly named Statue Park where statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert still stand.
Find out more about the vast array of items on sale and the entertainment on offer at the Bazaar in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreen in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries.
Treasure 72: George MacDonald Victorian Children's Books
274 In our Local Studies collection we hold a number of works by Victorian author George MacDonald. He wrote extensively over his lifetime in a variety of genres yet it is probably for his fantasy writing that he is most highly regarded. He is sometimes referred to as the founding father of modern fantasy writing and subsequent renowned writers C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien drew inspiration from his work.
MacDonald's novels "At the Back of the North Wind" (1871); "The Princess and the Goblin" (1872) and its sequel "The Princess and Curdie" (1882) are titles that we are still familiar with today and, as a result of their enduring popularity, they continue to be reprinted and sold nearly 150 years after they were first published.
In common with other popular fiction from the Victorian period, they were originally serialized and instalments appeared in Good Words for the Young - a magazine which aimed to provide wholesome literature for children to read.
The editions of George MacDonald's children's books in our collection are all printed by Glasgow firm Blackie & Son Ltd whose business activities included bookselling, publishing, printing and book production. Their children's publications are notable for their colourful covers and striking illustrations.
View the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on our touchscreens to find out more about the Victorian author and his varied works.
Treasure 73: Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish Language, 1895
275 Our treasure for the month of September looks at the person responsible for collating the first dictionary of the Scottish language. Born in Glasgow in 1759, John Jamieson was the son of a Scottish minister. Following his father's path, Jamieson studied theology and became pastor of a congregation at Forfar, Angus in 1781.
Alongside his ecclesiastical work, Jamieson developed a passionate interest in the development and study of language - philology. In Forfar, Jamieson briefly met Grimur Thorkelin, the National Archivist of Denmark who was in Britain researching the links between Danish and English. Thorkelin's chief legacy was the transcription and publication of the epic medieval poem, Beowulf.
From conversation with Thorklein, Jamieson set himself upon the task of recording those words he felt were exclusive to Scotland. It would be twenty years before his lifetime's work, The Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language would be published.
Subsequent revisions, amendments and abridgements refined Jamieson's original work - refuting some claims of Gothic origin, and proposing others. Our treasure is one of the revised editions of Jamieson's original work - a later edition from 1895.
View the Treasures from our Collection interactive exhibition on the touchscreen in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries to find out more about John Jamieson and his work.
Treasure 74: Kelly's Cats
276 One of this month's treasures showcases some of the most famous felines in the Silver City. Cast-iron and proud in their stance, despite their small stature, the cats silently stand watch over the citizens of Aberdeen as they sit atop the parapet of Union Bridge. These silent sentinels are known as 'Kelly's Cats', named after noted Aberdeen architect William Kelly (1861-1944).
Although some cats remain at their post on Union Bridge, others were removed in the 1960s when shops were added to one side of the bridge (where the Trinity Centre stands). Today, some of the cats can be found in Duthie Park and three were gifted to Aberdeen City Libraries where they have spent many years watching over the staff of the Central Library.
This September sees the launch of The Cat Parade in Aberdeen, a civic art project centred around our Union Bridge cats.
Up to 100 concrete replicas of 'Kelly's Cats' have been decorated by sponsoring organisations, and are being exhibited in the window of Waterstones throughout the month. At Aberdeen City Libraries, we have sponsored our very own cat - decorated by three of our talented members of staff, Meghan, Sarah, and Rhys.
The design of the cat is inspired by the history of Aberdeen Central Library ahead of its 125th Anniversary in July 2017 and is named Valentine after one of our most influential past employees, Miss Emma Valentine, who became the first female Assistant in Charge of the Reference Department between 1892 and 1915. You can view Valentine in Waterstones this month and in the Central Library from October.
Find out more about the history of the cats and the mystery surrounding their true designer in the Treasures from our Collections exhibition on the touchscreen in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries. Treasure 75: Official Opening Ceremony of Kincorth Youth and Community Centre Programme,1968
277 The residents of Kincorth will have at least two reasons to celebrate in 2017 - it will be 80 years since the winner of the design competition for the layout of Kincorth Estate was announced (in August 1937) and also 50 years since the opening of Kincorth Library.
Kincorth Branch Library was opened as part of the complex including Kincorth Youth and Community Centre and Kincorth health clinic. Although it shared a common entrance with the Community Centre, it was a self-contained unit with a Lending Library, a mezzanine Reference Library, and a Children's Library, and cost approximately £21,000 to build and equip. It had a stock of 12,000 books.
By the end of the first year, 64,000 books had been borrowed and in the following year, the total was 110,722 books.
This month's treasure from the library archive is the souvenir booklet produced for the official opening ceremony of the Youth and Community Centre by Lord Birsay on 8 January 1968. The distinctive octagonal-shaped library building on Provost Watt Drive is shown on the plan featured in the booklet.
View the touchscreen next to the Information Desk to find out more about the developments of Kincorth Library over the years. |